Here's perhaps a more holistic description of the status of road infrastructure status for James Bay projects, given this question was asked through email in the Patriot webinar today and perhaps a skewed version is being protrayed here. Patriot and Winsome (others include Brunswick Exploration) have two options at current for transportation of raw rock and spodumene concentrate:
Base case: transport west along the Trans-Taiga (TT), connect to the Billy Diamond Highway (BDH), and connect to the Matagami rail. PMET already has an all-season Cat 4 road that connects to the TT; PMET road construction is complete along this route, and this road transportation is technically feasible today pending community approvals.
Route 167: Winsome needs the route 167 to connect to Renard, but also to connect to the TT if desired long-term. If Winsome and/or Quebec via the La Grande Alliance built this, PMET would greatly benefit and would likely use this route at least for a short while because of a shorter travel distance to rail. At the moment, I see no reason for PMET to invest in this until some preliminary economics are released in their PMET's PEA comparing route 167 construction capex and higher opex for longer haulage. The La Grande Alliance states this route 167 construction won't begin until 2030, which is another deterrent for PMET specifically waiting for this route 167 extension. The southern portion of route 167 also requires re-doing. Will also require additional consultations given these discussions for the route extension occurred prior to considerations of mining haulage.
New rail built northward along the BDH to Rupert River: This would be the ideal case for PMET; they could connect along the TT to rail much further north than Matagami. Winsome could potentially also benefit from this long-term. The reality is this construction also won't begin until 2030, so this is a long-term possible route for PMET, potentially Winsome as well.
The La Grande Alliance executive summary: https://www.lagrandealliance.quebec/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/LGA-Executive-Summary-2023-FINAL-EN_-2.pdfAll in all, the means to transport spodumene concentrate westward and south along the BDH is already built and in place (for PMET). Unless Winsome and/or the La Grande Alliance make advanced progress on route 167 well ahead of the estimated 2030 construction start date in terms of permitting and financing, I see no reason for PMET to partake in financing the route 167 extension along with Winsome. Maybe the economics will change things for PMET and make them willing to chip in for financing the route 167 extension. The road is definitely a benefit for PMET if put in place well before the northward rail extension along the BDH given the decrease in hauling distance for PMET. Lots of potential developments in play, which is interesting for all invested in James Bay plays given developing infrastructure.
(20min delay)